Colorado, Kansas City, Chicago and back home…
Durango, Colorado:
United States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colorado:
Denver, Colorado:
Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado:
Kansas City, Missouri:
Chicago, Illinois:
If you took a look at the last post, then you may have noticed that things went from mainly cities, to moving into the National Parks – and it was at this point that I really, truly felt like the adventures were beginning…
Zion National Park, Utah:
Las Vegas and Hoover Dam, Nevada:
Sequoia National Park, California:
This one needs no introduction!
Yosemite National Park, California:
Hearst Castle, San Simeon, California:
San Francisco, California:
Berkeley and Alameda, California:
After a couple tremendous days in Utah, I was truly looking forward to getting in to Colorado, a place I thought I could see myself retiring to eventually. I was certainly not disappointed…
I posted a photo similar to this one on Instagram and tried to explain what driving through Colorado is like – but basically it’s this. It’s like the feeling of having new sheets on your bed…
(Incidentally, the photo above is the one that I printed out and taped to the upper corner of my windshield to help get me through the hell known as Kansas, but that’s a completely different story).
I’d been to Durango, Colorado several times when I was much younger and it’s basically exactly as I remembered it — and that’s a great thing.
We have a graduate of Greensburg Salem who’s currently a student at the United States Air Force Academy, so after spending a little bit of time in Colorado Springs, I had the chance to meet him for lunch and get a quick tour of the campus — it’s absolutely, incredibly beautiful. The chapel is stunning and you’d never know there’s as much stained glass that projects so well from looking at the outside. And how about that backdrop for your football stadium???
Later that night I had the chance to have dinner with a former Yearbook Editor in Denver and had a blast as well. I really liked the area we were in – LoDo – and it was great to catch up with this young lady as well…
If you know me, then you know how much I enjoy street art and murals as well. This piece of Frank Shorter in downtown Boulder certainly doesn’t disappoint.
Rocky Mountain National Park was the last of the National Parks I got to visit and it was stunning as well. Driving the Trail Ridge Road was a blast and the views were incredible. While I was hoping to see some Big Horn Sheep, the Elk didn’t disappoint…
And then… Red Rocks Amphitheater. While I didn’t get to see a show here, it was pretty neat to get to tour the spot where one of my all-time favorite concerts (U2 at Red Rocks) was performed. What an insanely scenic spot – if you take a look at the top pic in this set, you can see Denver along the horizon of the pic.
I wasn’t sure of what to expect from Seattle. I had just come off a great time in California and had really liked Oregon as well – so I felt like I was almost due for a let down. And I was (thankfully), very wrong. I absolutely loved being in Seattle. Pike Place Market was everything I hoped it would be and more. The people watching, as well as watching the guys throwing the fish and interacting with the crowd, Piroshky, Piroshky, Beecher’s Handmade Cheese, the Original Starbucks – I mean, c’mon, it’s awesome. The Space Needle provided incredible views (and I’m thankful I wasn’t able to go up until early evening). It was drivable and it was walkable and I had a total blast.
The Space Needle is an icon, there’s no doubt about that – but the area around it is so much fun as well – there are a ton of things to do, especially for kids, who all seemed to be having a blast in the process. This is a must-see if you’re in the area, for sure.
The Olympic Sculpture Park is a pretty short walk from the Space Needle and totally worth it, if only to check out a great piece by Alexander Calder – and that backdrop sure doesn’t hurt, either.
While I have never been the biggest Nirvana fan, I did think a visit was worth it. While the house is beautiful, walking along Lake Washington was even better. If you’ve seen any of my posts before, you know that I’m a fan of street art, and I loved these two bottom pieces.
That sky…
The Ferris Wheel and the stadiums tend to jump out at you here, but if you look through that haze, that’s Mt. Rainier in the distance (I’ll have a post coming soon about my visit to Mt. Rainier…)
Loved seeing the container ships in the same vicinity of the sailboats and the Original Starbucks in Pike Place Market is pretty darn cool as well…
So this dude is Taho Kakutani (had to do a little research there), and let me tell you something – he is phenomenal at his job. Not only is he able to throw the fish well, but he is just really great at interacting with the crowds and at the very minimum, seeming to have fun while doing it. I was truly impressed with all that he was doing – especially knowing that dealing with the crowds like they do could become incredibly difficult. He did it all with a smile on his face the entire time.
Absolutely loved the totems that could be found around town…
While I got to Seattle relatively early and got shots of these iconic signs early on, I knew I needed to get back later – and I’m so glad that I did. I absolutely love the way these came out, even though I had to leave earlier than I originally wanted due to some unforeseen issues – but those unforeseen issues led me back to my car, which was parked nearer to the Space Needle. I wasn’t expecting this whatsoever, and what a pleasant surprise, to see the sky just totally beyond cooperative for this:
Plain and simple, I absolutely loved Seattle and I’d go back in a heartbeat…
I have been unbelievably fortunate this past year — I’ve worked with some great couples, some super seniors and have had the chance to explore both New York and D.C. in greater depths. A special thank you to all of those I’ve had the opportunity to work with. Below are some of my favorite images from 2011. Enjoy!
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